"You're
all going to work in a global business in some way,"
said Eric Leininger, senior vice president for global
insights at McDonald's, during a May visit to a Kellogg marketing
class. "Being a good global citizen will be critical
to your success." Leininger discussed the challenge of
making a brand like McDonald's relevant worldwide. The company
is present in 119 countries, he said, and its success means
"leveraging scale while building local relevance."
McDonald's retains its core brand identity in all its markets,
but is attentive to key differences in those markets by producing
a locally relevant menu — vegetarian options in India,
for example. "You can't do local food better than local
food, but what you can do is send a few cues that you're tuned
into local culture," he said.

Jack
Treynor

A
path-blazing figure in the investment world, including for
such seminal contributions as his 1962 paper introducing the
Capital Asset Pricing Model, Jack Treynor has built a long career in which he has advanced
the understanding of investor behavior and market forces.
He shared some of those insights during an April visit to
Kellogg. In a dinner address, Treynor considered possible
shifts in the U.S. political landscape, such as a move toward
populism, and the implications this could have on financial
markets. He discussed the foundations of the corporation and
critical elements related to its ownership and control.

Jim
Sinegal

During
a May lecture in a Kellogg entrepreneurship class, Costco
Co-Founder and CEO Jim Sinegal outlined his company's
history and strategy. The global discount warehouse chain
is best known for its low prices on packaged goods, but since
being launched in 1983 the wholesale giant has dramatically
expanded its product lines — it sells everything from
diamonds to pharmaceuticals — but it still stocks few
items compared with the competition. And that's one secret
to its success, said Sinegal. He said the company seeks operating
efficiencies and cost containment at every level, paring back
inventory to the best sellers. "We're fanatical about
getting costs down," Sinegal said.

Steven
Milunovich

A Kellogg
graduate and Brunswick Group LLP partner, Steven Milunovich
'87 delivered a guest lecture in May for the Asset Management
Practicum. During his 23 years on Wall Street, including as
managing director at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, Milunovich
earned an impressive track record: He appeared 20 times on
the Institutional Investor All-American Research Team, his
expertise as a superior IT hardware analyst being particularly
recognized. He spoke with Kellogg students about his career,
offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the life of a top
financial analyst.

Barbara
Higgins

Offering
a look into the airline industry as a service business, Barbara
Higgins, vice president of customer experience for United
Airlines, spoke with Kellogg students about the challenges
facing professionals in her sector. Big changes in air travel
over the last 30 years have made flying more affordable, she
said, and deregulation has increased competition. But with
rising fuel costs forcing airlines to raise prices, carriers
are finding that customers are unwilling to pay "what
it actually costs to provide the service," she said.
To help understand and serve their customers better, Higgins
said United has refined its research strategies to produce
more useful metrics.

Maria
Pinto

Fashion designer
Maria Pinto shared her entrepreneurial experiences
with Kellogg students during a June visit to the school. Speaking
to a Kellogg class, Pinto discussed how she launched her elegant
women's accessories and ready-to-wear line in 1991. Today,
the Art Institute of Chicago graduate has earned prestigious
design awards and has designed costumes for the Joffrey Ballet
as well as for prominent individuals like Michelle Obama and
Oprah Winfrey.